Bluffton man charged with attempted murder

A Bluffton man was charged with attempted murder, burglary, and assault and battery in connection with an alleged home invasion in the Gibbet Road area that left another man seriously injured.

The suspect, Donald Jason Rhinesmith, was arrested Monday morning, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday. Another suspect, Michael Holder, remained at large on Tuesday.

Rhinesmith, 30, remained jailed Tuesday.

“The charges stem from a home invasion that occurred at 4 a.m. (Thursday) at the home of (Rhinesmith’s) sister, Nicole Marie Rhinesmith,” Sgt. Robin McIntosh said.

Sheriff’s deputies responded just before 4:30 a.m. Thursday to her Fox Path Lane residence. There, Nicole Rhinesmith, 32, told deputies she and her boyfriend, Joseph Nettles, 34, had just been attacked by her brother, Donald, and his friend, 24-year-old Michael Aaron Holder.

Donald Rhinesmith and Holder are accused of kicking in the door and assaulting Nettles while still in bed. As Nicole tried to shield Nettles during the attack, she was also assaulted, McIntosh said.

Both suspects fled and Nicole Rhinesmith called 911. Both she and Nettles were taken to Coastal Carolina Hospital. She was treated and released. Nettles was transferred to Memorial Health University Medical Center and was later treated and released, a hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday.

“The attack is believed to have been motivated by Donald Rhinesmith’s displeasure over recent domestic issues between Nicole and Nettles,” McIntosh said.

The other suspect, Holder, is white, about 5-feet, 6-inches tall, weighs about 140 pounds and has brown hair and eyes. His last known address is 7 Windtree Circle in Bluffton. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Beaufort County Dispatch Center at 524-2777, McIntosh said.